Heart Math Tutoring Kicks Off Annual Volunteer Recruitment Drive

July 26, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– July 26, 2017 – Heart Math Tutoring (Heart) – a nonprofit group dedicated to helping students in high-poverty elementary schools develop math skills and academic confidence – is kicking off its annual volunteer recruitment drive for the 2017/18 school year. As part of Heart’s expansion to 15 Charlotte-Mecklenburg School sites, its goal is to recruit volunteers to be tutors for 750 students (approximately 900 tutors) between now and mid-September.

“We are thrilled about serving even more students and school sites, and to growing our volunteer team for this coming school year,” said Emily Elliott, executive director of Heart Math Tutoring. “Our volunteer tutors are integral to our program and do an outstanding job delivering the curriculum and building relationships with the students we serve. We appreciate and are honored by each community member who chooses to spend one hour per week with Heart.”

Heart volunteers commit to weekly tutoring sessions that last either 30 minutes or one hour and can team up with friends, family and colleagues to be “partner tutors.” Math does not have to be a strong subject for volunteers who all follow a structured elementary-level curriculum that features hands-on activities and math games. A Heart staff person is on site at all times to make sure tutors have what they need. Volunteer opportunities are available at the following schools and times:

Heart Math Tutoring is a math intervention program that recruits, trains, and supports volunteers to work as tutors in high-poverty elementary schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Hundreds of community members spend one hour each week delivering Heart’s structured curriculum. About 56 percent of economically disadvantaged children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools perform below grade level in math, based on 2016 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests.

In the 2016/17 school year, 98 percent of Heart students met program growth goals in math, growing in two or more building block concept areas. On average, students doubled the goal – growing in 4.9 concept areas. Heart students began the year with 26 percent of foundational skills needed, based on grade level standards. By the end of the year, they grew to now have 59 percent of the skills they need, cutting the gap in half.

Since 2013/14, Heart has grown from serving 105 students in two schools and plans to serve more than 750 students across 15 school sites in 2017/18. Heart’s 750 volunteers collectively gave more than 13,000 hours of targeted, one-on-one instruction to students in need during the 2016/17 school year. Much of the volunteer growth has been spurred by volunteer tutors, who have recruited friends and colleagues to join in Heart’s efforts, helping to ensure that struggling elementary students build a strong foundation in math and enthusiasm for academics. In addition, 100 percent of surveyed Heart volunteers rated their experience as positive, and 99 percent would recommend Heart to friends and colleagues.

Adds Elliott, “Volunteering with Heart is more than delivering the math curriculum. It’s also about being a positive influence by building relationships with students in a fun way, while delivering academic skills crucial to their success.”

Heart Math Tutoring
Heart Math Tutoring is a Charlotte-based nonprofit with a mission to ensure that all elementary students develop the strong foundation in math and enthusiasm for academics needed for long-term success, by helping schools use volunteers as tutors. Community members commit one hour per week to deliver an effective, hands-on curriculum through one-on-one tutoring sessions during the school day in Title I elementary schools. For more information, visit http://hearttutoring.org.